Victorian Landcare Magazine - Summer 2023-24, Issue 86
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The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA), formerly DELWP, has developed a range of employment-related resources to better support Landcare staff and their employers.
There are 80 Landcare facilitators funded through the Victorian Landcare Facilitator Program (VLFP). These Landcare facilitators are employed by more than 60 Landcare and environmental volunteer groups and networks (eight organisations have two positions), six local governments, three CMAs, and two other organisations.
The resources developed by DEECA for Landcare staff and their employers include a generic position description for Landcare facilitators, templates to contract the employment/engagement of Landcare facilitators, a code of conduct, grievance policy, and workplace health and safety policy.
There is also a fact sheet of Employment-related Links for Landcare Facilitators & Employers.
Along with these resources, DEECA has developed a detailed Victorian Landcare Facilitator Program Welcome Pack to assist new VLFP Landcare facilitators to better understand the requirements of their roles. The pack has five modules including several videos. It includes:
• An introduction to Landcare, its history and growth;
• The links between the work of VLFP-funded Landcare facilitators and key Victorian Government strategies, plans and policies;
• A summary and PDF map of key stakeholders that support Landcare and environmental volunteer groups/networks in Victoria;
• The Victorian Landcare Program’s logic, vision, and goals, and the Key Work Areas in the 2021–25 Landcare Facilitator Work Plan;
• Information on the day-to-day tasks of Landcare facilitators.
These resources are available on the Landcare Gateway at Facilitator Program.
The Victorian Landcare Program at DEECA funds a free confidential Landcare Employment Advice Service for Landcare staff and their employers. The service began in 2018 with the engagement of Workplace Legal. Since then Workplace Legal has provided employment-related advice to representatives of more than 60 Landcare groups/networks. Around 75 per cent of the advice they have provided has been to employer organisations, with the remainder to Landcare staff/contractors.
The most requested advice has been about contracts, entitlements, and how to engage/employ a Landcare facilitator. Advice has also been requested on disciplinary action, terminating employment, performance issues, disputes, breach of agreement, policies, insurance, and mediation.
To contact Workplace Legal phone 9972 4950.
John Robinson is Acting Team Lead – Partnerships and Engagement (Victorian Landcare Program) at DEECA.
For more information email landcare@delwp.vic.gov.au.